Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 18 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1115W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental public bodies have paid in interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 since his Department was established.

Joan Ruddock: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority are unable to separately identify interest paid under the Act since DECC was created due to systems constraints. None of the Department's other non-departmental public bodies have paid interest under the Act.

Radioactive Fallout: Exemptions

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will allocate funds to pay the subsistence and accommodation expenses of the expert stakeholders invited to attend the workshop on proposals for a future exemptions regime under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 and draft Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010, to be held in Manchester on 9 July.

David Kidney: The Department will reimburse reasonable travel costs and will consider accommodation costs on a case by case basis. The timing and location of the workshop has been chosen to help stakeholders participate from across the UK.

Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1411W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental public bodies spent in interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years.

Shaun Woodward: This is an operational matter for the non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) of the Northern Ireland Office, which operate independently of Government. I would encourage the hon. Gentleman to write to the NDPB chief executives.
	A list of these NDPBs is available on page 7 of the Northern Ireland Office departmental report, published in June 2009.

Parades

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Parades Commission on parades to take place on 12 July 2009.

Shaun Woodward: I hold regular discussions with the Parades Commission on a range of parades related matters, including forthcoming parades. The Parades Commission remains the final arbiter of parades and is independent of Government.

Business: Government Assistance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to her Department's press notice of 6 April 2009, on recruitment and training subsidies, how many businesses have received a recruitment subsidy; and how many individuals have returned to employment as a result.

Jim Knight: The recruitment subsidy was introduced on 6 April 2009 and data are only starting to feed through. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics from autumn 2009.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 April 2009,  Official Report, column 1446W, on motor industry: government assistance, whether his Department has received applications for the provision of guarantees for European Investment Bank loans to UK automotive companies under the Automotive Assistance programme.

Ian Lucas: The Government remain committed to providing guarantees, where appropriate, to help unlock up to £1.3 billion in European investment bank loans to UK automotive companies. While no guarantees have at this stage been provided, BIS is actively supporting the EIB applications of a number of UK automotive companies and stands ready to offer a guarantee where necessary and in accordance with the published criteria for the Automotive Assistance Programme.

Departmental Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2009,  Official Report, column 200W, on departmental manpower, what recent forecast his Department has made of the number of posts in each bargaining unit on 31 March 2010.

Chris Mole: The table shows the forecast change in headcount (permanent staff and those on fixed term contracts), expressed as full-time equivalents, between 31 March 2009 and 31 March 2010 in the centre of the Department for Transport and each of the Department's bargaining units.
	
		
			   Actual for 31 March 2009  Forecast for 31 March 2010  Change 
			 Department for Transport Centre 1,902 1,902 0 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 6,329 6,328 -1 
			 Driving Standards Agency 2,574 2,560 -14 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 315 350 35 
			 Highways Agency 3,416 3,416 0 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 1,128 1,127 -1 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 136 144 8 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 2,638 2,679 41

Fuels: EU Law

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 427-8W, on diesel fuel: EU action, what information his Department holds on the applications  (a) made by and  (b) granted to member states for derogation from the Fuel Quality Directive 98/70 (EC) in respect of the sulphur content of fuel since its inception.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport is not aware of such a derogation ever having been either requested by or granted to a Member State. EU Fuel Quality Monitoring reports(1) suggest that, with the exception of transitional problems for two accession Member States in 2005, EU petrol and diesel are generally well within the mandatory sulphur content limits.
	(1)( )http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/intemal_market/single _market_for_goods/motor_vehicles/interactions_industry _policies/l28077_en.htm

Central Office of Information: Expenditure

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Blaby on 12 November 2008,  Official Report, column 759, on public relations, what the reasons are for the difference between the figure of £265 million given in the answer and the figure of £391 million for Central Office of Information (COI) spending on public relations, marketing and advertising in 2007-08 given in the most recent COI annual report and accounts.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to answer given to him on 20 April 2009,  Official Report, column 352W.

Entry Clearances

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many telephone interviews with visa applicants from  (a) Pakistan and  (b) Afghanistan have been conducted by entry clearance officers in (i) Islamabad and (ii) Abu Dhabi since 27 October 2008.

Alan Johnson: No telephone interviews have been conducted with visa applicants from either country since 27 October. Visa section staff may contact visa applicants to clarify certain aspects of an application, and there is routine verification of supporting documents which may also result in telephone inquiries being made.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to reply to the letter of 27 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Mohsin Zafar.

Alan Johnson: The then Home Secretary replied to my right hon. Friend on 25 March 2009.

Serious and Organised Crime Agency

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2009,  Official Report, column 197W, on the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the 5,000 persons of interest resident in the UK.

Alan Johnson: Approximately 95 per cent. of the Serious Organised Crime Agency's current persons of interest (POI) are recorded as having a UK address.

Ashwell Prison

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison officers are employed at HM Prison (HMP) Ashwell; and whether any prison officers at HMP Ashwell have been relocated to other prisons following the disturbance on 11 April 2009.

Jack Straw: There are currently 117.5 prison officers employed at HMP Ashwell, two less than the present target staffing figure. The 117.5 are made up of 91 officers, 21 senior officers and 5.5 principal officers.
	Since 1 June 2009, 20 officers and three senior officers have been carrying out temporary detached duty at other prisons within the East Midlands region. The remainder of the unified staff are engaged in normal business running the prison, which still holds 204 prisoners in the secure areas of the prison that were not damaged in the disturbance on 11 April 2009. They are additionally continuing the process of clearing up the establishment, bringing back into use work areas damaged during the disturbance, and recovering and returning prisoners' property from the damaged areas of the prison to those prisoners that have been transferred.

Prison Sentences

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove of 16 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 256-64W, on prison sentences, how many of the 14 prisoners recalled following release from an indeterminate sentence for public protection were recalled for alleged re-offending; and what the  (a) original offence and  (b) alleged further offence was in each case.

Jack Straw: There are five cases where the recall was for alleged reoffending as shown in the table. It is for the independent Parole Board to determine whether an offender sentenced to an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection should be released once his tariff has expired.
	
		
			  Index offence  Alleged reoffending 
			 Wounding GBH Actual Bodily Harm x 2 
			  Assault by Beating x 2 
			  Criminal Damage x 1 
			   
			 Wounding GBH Assault 
			   
			 Robbery Affray 
			   
			 Robbery Kidnap 
			  Threats to Kill 
			  Assault 
			  Assault by Penetration 
			  Driving Offences 
			   
			 Arson Affray

Prisoners: Personal Property

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Harborough of 8 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 1526-28W, on prisoners: personal property, what the equivalent figures for 2008-09 are.

Jack Straw: A breakdown of the compensation the National Offender Management Service has paid, during 2008-09, to prisoners for damaged or lost property is set out as follows. In obtaining the information the National Offender Management Service does not distinguish between prisoners' lost or stolen property.
	
		
			  2008-09  Number of cases  Compensation (£) 
			 Lost property 1,876 106,570.76 
			 Damaged property 255 13,727.89

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to reply to the letter dated 9 April 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. S. Hussain.

David Miliband: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 29 June 2009.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 24 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1794W, on council tax, how many dwellings have value significant code data for the  (a) GG code and  (b) OS code.

Rosie Winterton: Out of 22.7 million dwellings, as at 23 June 2009, the number of dwellings in England that had value significant code data for  (a) GG code (a garden, where one is not usual for the locality) was 6,073 and  (b) OS code (a patio, which is value significant; for example, a substantial terrace) was 5,143.

Council Tax: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 298W, on council tax: valuation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each meeting, redacting elements relating to advice to Ministers on the formulation and development of Government policy.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, East and Saddleworth (Mr. Woolas), on 27 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1285W.

Emergency Services: Overseas Aid

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 834W, on overseas aid: emergency services, what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision that the UK Fire and Rescue Service will organise the overseas search and rescue capability for disaster response on the service's ability to respond to natural disasters in the UK.

Shahid Malik: The overseas deployment of resources to assist in an emergency is organised by UK International Search And Rescue (UKISAR). UKISAR are teams of Search and Rescue specialists drawn from the UK Fire and Rescue Services and voluntary organisations. Any overseas deployment of UKISAR is undertaken on behalf of the Department For International Development (DFID).
	The UKISAR equipment and resources including specialist staff are in addition to the Urban Search and Rescue equipment and resources provided within the New Dimension programme to equip the FRS to respond to UK incidents.
	Therefore the overseas deployment of UKISAR will not impact on the capacity of the UK Fire and Rescue Service to provide an appropriate Urban Search and Rescue response to incidents in the UK.
	In addition, on receipt of a request for overseas deployment a further assessment of the risk to the UK is completed by DFID and CLG (via the Office of the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser) prior to the approval for UKISAR deployment.

Recreation Spaces

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 517W, on recreation spaces, whether his Department's green spaces database holds information on  (a) public gardens and  (b) gardens of residential properties.

Ian Austin: The green spaces database holds:
	Information on public gardens from the English Heritage "Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest". This can include other designated landscapes such as town squares.
	Residential gardens information from the Generalised Land Use Database (2005) categorised 'Gardens'. This is based on publicly available Ordnance Survey data.

Members: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Child Benefit Office in Washington plans to reply to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West of 29 April and 10 June 2009 on his constituent Miss Laura Grieve.

Stephen Timms: The Child Benefit Office replied to the hon. Member on 25 June 2009.

Non-Domestic Rates: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 28 October 2008,  Official Report, column 888W, on non-domestic rates: valuation, whether  (a) micro wind turbines and  (b) small-scale solar or photovoltaic cells will be (i) liable, (ii) valued and (iii) taxed for business rates as part of the 2010 revaluation process.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Micro generation plant and machinery, including micro wind turbines and small-scale solar or photovoltaic cells, installed on or before 31 March 2010 are, in principle, liable to be included in the revalued rateable values due to come into force on 1 April 2010.
	In practical terms very basic micro generation plant, particularly small micro wind turbines and small-scale solar or photovoltaic cells, add very little if any to the annual rental value of a property and will therefore have negligible impact on the rateable value even when rateable.

Revenue and Customs: ICT

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 444W, on HM Revenue and Customs: closures, what the cost is of the improvements to HM Revenue and Customs' IT systems referred to in the Answer; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: HMRC has a programme of continuous improvement to its IT systems, which includes the improvement referred to in my previous answer. This year, HMRC is investing 6 per cent. of its departmental budget of £4 billion in improving and enhancing its IT systems. The key aspects of the improvement programme are detailed in the 2009-10 HMRC Business Plan published on the HMRC website.

Taxation: Rebates

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 982-83W, on taxation: rebates, what the longest time taken by HM Revenue and Customs to process an application for a tax refund was in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 10 June 2009,  Official Report, column 906W.

Valuation Office

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 27 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 1049-50W, on the Valuation Office, if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each meeting of  (a) the electronic capture of hard copy records project board and  (b) the installation of a geographical information system project board.

Stephen Timms: The minutes of both the electronic capture of hard copy records project board and the geographical information system project board are commercially sensitive.
	However, progress on each of the projects has been published in the VOA's Annual Report and Forward Plan and has been reported in answer to previous questions given to the hon. Member on 5 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1086W and to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), on 27 April 2009,  Official Report, column 1050W.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the reasons are for the nine per cent. reduction in the pooled treatment budget for Milton Keynes from the National Treatment Agency in 2009-10;
	(2)  what funding has been given to Milton Keynes from the National Treatment Agency in each of the last five years; and how much has been so allocated in the next two years;
	(3)  how many problematic drug users  (a) there were in Milton Keynes and  (b) received treatment in Milton Keynes in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: Until 2008-09 the pooled treatment budget (PTB) was allocated against a basket of indicators of social and economic deprivation known to reflect drug use as the best available proxy of treatment need. As a result of differences in performance between drug partnerships in getting people into treatment this funding formula was resulting in unjustifiable variations in the amount of central subvention for each person's treatment.
	2009-10 is the second year of a process which seeks to produce a fairer allocation system which more accurately matches need, activity and resources.
	The new process is based on three elements:
	25 per cent. of the allocation is based on the indicators underpinning the previous formula to reflect the differential cost of responding to different levels of complex need such as homelessness, mental heath, family breakdown and unemployment;
	75 per cent. is based on activity in the treatment system with areas being allocated a set amount per person treated effectively; and
	The final element is an area cost adjustment figure to reflect the varying costs of delivering services in different part of the country.
	To promote an orderly alteration to service planning, the change is being introduced over three years with the annual maximum reduction set at 5 per cent. in 2008-09, 15 per cent. in 2009-10 and 30 per cent. in 2010-11.
	Funding allocated to Milton Keynes in each of the last five years is tabled as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 1,066,714 
			 2006-07 1,221,155 
			 2007-08 1,221,155 
			 2008-09 1,165,052 
			 2009-10 1,084,242 
		
	
	For the next two years, the indicative amount for 2010-11 is £925,000 (announced January 2008). This however was based on performance at the time predicted to grow at 1 per cent. a year. Growth in Milton Keynes is currently anticipated to be in excess of this so the final allocation may increase. The exact allocation will not be known until January 2010.
	Based on data collected by the university of Glasgow covering the period 2004-05 to 2006-07, the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse have advised Milton Keynes that an estimated 930 problematic drug users (PDUs) should be used for planning purposes. However, there is insufficient data on the number of PDUs to determine how the PDU population has changed over time.
	The number of PDUs in treatment in Milton Keynes for each of the last fives years is tabled as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 149 
			 2005-06 221 
			 2006-07 264 
			 2007-08 337 
			 2008-09 437

Fractures: Elderly

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 623W, on fractures: elderly, to which independent inspectorates primary care trusts have to demonstrate that they are meeting their responsibilities with regard to implementing National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidance on fragility fractures, falls and osteoporosis.

Phil Hope: The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. They are the body to which primary care trusts have to demonstrate that they are meeting their responsibilities with regard to implementing National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidance on fragility fractures, falls and osteoporosis.

NHS: Death Rates

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 628W, on NHS: death rates, how many alerts the Healthcare Commission received in respect of each patient group between July 2008 and March 2009.

Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 27 April 2009,  Official Report, column 1079W on NHS: Death Rate, which details how many alerts the Healthcare Commission received in respect of each patient group between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009.

Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2009,  Official Report, column 757W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental public bodies have paid in interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years.

Michael Foster: None of the Department for International Development's non-departmental public bodies has paid interest under the Act in the last three years.

Overseas Aid: Emergency Services

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 834W, on overseas aid: emergency services, what estimate he has made of the expenditure which will be incurred by the UK Fire and Rescue Service in undertaking its duties under the agreement on organisation of the overseas search and rescue capability in disaster response.

Michael Foster: Expenditure incurred by the UK Fire and Rescue Service in undertaking overseas search and rescue operations cannot be predicted in advance but will depend on the requirements in each response.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) has agreed a budget for the UK Fire and Rescue Service to train, equip and maintain its readiness to provide search and rescue response of £241,230 over the three years 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Overseas Aid: Emergency Services

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 834W, on overseas aid: emergency services, what plans there are for members of the UK Fire and Rescue Service to attend international disaster-related training events and conferences in the next 12 months.

Michael Foster: The UK Fire and Rescue Service so far plans to take part in the following events in the next year:
	October, 2009 - International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) Africa, Europe and Middle-East Regional Meeting in Hungary.
	2010 - Regional Team Leaders Meeting in Abu Dhabi; and
	possibly a multi-regional INSARAG Team Leaders Meeting, location to be determined.

United Nations: Females

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 1W, on United Nations: females, what proposals his Department has put forward for the  (a) remit and  (b) leadership of a United Nations Agency for Women; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Government are arguing for the creation of a single powerful agency for women, merging existing bodies, with a strong visible leader.

Teachers: Training

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 1 June 2009,  Official Report, column 284W, on teachers: training, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of teachers' professional bodies and industry on teachers' continuing professional development; and what recent consideration he has given to teachers' participation in continuing professional development during school holidays.

Vernon Coaker: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has regular discussions with representatives of teachers' professional bodies and industry to discuss teachers' continuing professional development (CPD). He has not given recent consideration to teachers participating in CPD during school holidays.
	Under the provisions of the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), teachers are contracted to work under the direction of a head teacher for 1,265 hours over 195 days. They are required to teach and perform other duties for 190 of those days and are to be available for deployment at the head's discretion for the other five days to perform duties other than teaching. These five days are commonly known as school closure days and schools can and do use them for a variety of CPD/school planning activities. The timing and organisation of these days is entirely for individual local authorities, governing bodies, and head teachers to determine, but we look to them to be sensitive to local circumstances in deciding which days to choose.
	No teacher may be required to work on any Saturday, Sunday or public holiday unless his or her contract of employment expressly provides for this.
	In relation to teachers participating in CPD during school holidays, there is nothing to prohibit teachers undertaking such activity during those periods. However, head teachers, in carrying out their duties in deploying and managing staff, must have regard to the desirability of teachers being able to achieve a satisfactory balance between the time required to discharge their professional duties and the time required to pursue their personal interests outside work.